Computer Hardware Engineer

Help design and test new computer electronics.

What does a Computer Hardware Engineer do?

Engineers solve problems by evaluating, designing, and building new products. Computer Hardware Engineers focus on electronics, specifically (you guessed it) computers. Hardware includes all components of the computer except for the programs loaded into the memory, which are the concern of Computer Software Engineers. Computer Hardware Engineers, however, are concerned with keyboards, processors, chips, circuit boards, and modems.

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating a completely new keyboard, laptop design, or more efficient printer, you’re in the right job. Technology moves faster with each passing year. To keep up, you attend seminars, read computer magazines and journals, and constantly toss around creative ideas. After all, it was a Computer Hardware Engineer’s mind that designed the first flat-screen monitor and each video card advancement. Who knows, maybe you’ll create the next webcam idea or improve sound quality features.

When you’re not designing and testing new products, you’re reinventing or improving old ones. Remember the dot matrix printers? Well, maybe you don’t, but you can be sure that they didn’t compare to today’s technology.

Part of your job is to evaluate older models so that you can examine what works and what doesn’t. Which components will move to the next generation? What functions should the next model possess? How can you make it smaller, faster, or more efficient? These questions propel you towards the next great advancement in the field.